Some dishes are more than just food; they’re comfort. They’re almost like a warm hug on your plate, and one such hug is our spaetzle egg-noodle dumplings and mushroom casserole. It’s hearty, warming, and satisfying all at once. Plus, it tastes simply amazing. We’ll show you how to quickly make it at home.
Our Egg-Noodle Dumplings and Mushroom Casserole: Hearty, Creamy & Simply Delicious
Egg-noodle dumplings, also known as spaetzle, is a German, specifically Swabian staple. Soft and chewy, they’re somewhere between maccaroni and gnocchi. Fluffy, yet a bit more condensed, this past has a long history behind it. Spaetzle can be traced back to the 18th century. More precisely, to the year 1725, when Arts Rosinus Lentilius summarized spaetzle broadly as “everything made from flour.”
It goes to say that in the last couple of centuries, preparing these noodles has become more refined, to the point of becoming an art in itself: The pasta is made by beating dough until bubbly and is then scraped by hand into boiling water using a board and scraper. But, today we are, to put it bluntly, not asking you to do all that. Especially when it’s not the main component on the plate but baked together with mushrooms into a spaetzle and mushroom casserole.
Homemade spaetzle is great, but these days we prefer to buy it ready-made from the refrigerated section. Of course, you can make the noodles yourself. But in this case, it’s almost a waste of effort. Because this casserole is perfect for evenings when you want something delicious on the table quickly. You should be able to find it under the name ‘spaetzle’ at any larger chain grocery.
We’re not going to lie, our spaetzle and mushroom casserole, the mushrooms play the main role. This is exactly where we suggest setting your efforts. Here you can choose what you like: Button mushrooms are delicious, but chanterelles, oyster mushrooms, or porcini mushrooms also work well in the casserole. Once you’ve setled on what you’re making, sauté your mushrooms-of-choice with onions in butter. This step will make sure your casserole is especially aromatic. Now, briefly sauté the spaetzle as well, and then mix everything with heavy cream, broth, and cream cheese.
Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish and cover it with a generous portion of grated cheese. Gruyère is especially delicious with our spaetzle and mushroom casserole, but Gouda is also an excellent choice. After a short stint in the oven, you’ll have a wonderfully fragrant casserole that will make you and everyone you’re eating with happy. Serve it with a fresh salad to ground the creamier and heavier notes of the casserole, and you’ll find that it simply doesn’t get any better than that!
We love a baked dinner, they’re often so rich, so filling, and of coure, so warm. Try our other recipes like our white bread quiche, enchilada casserole, and cowboy casserole.
Spaetzle and Mushroom Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups (9 oz.) mushrooms of your choice
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 package (14 oz.) egg-noodle dumplings (spaetzle) refrigerated
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 thyme fresh or dried
- ⅔ cups cream cheese
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- salt & pepper
- 1⅓ cups grated cheese e.g., Gruyère or Gouda
- some parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Clean the mushrooms and slice them. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
- Heat the butter in a pan and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until they release their liquid and are lightly browned.
- Add the spaetzle, garlic, mustard, and thyme. Stir in the cream cheese, heavy cream, and broth. Season with salt and pepper, then let the sauce thicken.
- Pour everything into a casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.
- Sprinkle the finished casserole with chopped parsley before serving.